Pete Berry Flying Dutchman WFBR Baltimore 1973 (0:06:34)

… We took that record to the city engineers of Baltimore to have it analyzed …
[Description by Uncle Ricky] THE FLYING DUTCHMAN This exhibit of Pete Berry, The Flying Dutchman, was created from two different issues of Programmer’s Digest, 1973. I apologize for the lack of fidelity but we have gone too long (5.5 years!) without an exhibit searchable as “Baltimore” Top 40. We do, in fact, have a great hi-fi aircheck of Ron Riley on WCAO, scheduled for the future, but for now, this will have to do. This came right off the LP’s, and it’s frightening to hear the differences in source EQ – Dutchman’s microphone is very bright, at least one recorded element is saturated with highs (how does that happen?) and all of the jingles are very, very muddy. So even a good recording of this station wouldn’t shine on fidelity — it’s inconsistent. If Programmer’s Digest had a good quality recording, they failed to get it on vinyl. And maybe good spectral balance is insignificant when the real consideration is content? After all, “The Flying Dutchman” was working hard on the radio in Baltimore in 1973, and Baltimore Magazine had pronounced him “the hottest thing in Baltimore radio.”

Welcome to the new ReelRadio!

This site is now operated by the North Carolina Broadcast History Museum. 

We want to thank the board of ReelRadio, Inc. for their stewardship since the passing of the founder Richard Irwin in 2018.  It has not been easy and they have maintained the exhibits for future generations to enjoy.

I met Richard Irwin, aka Uncle Ricky, when we were freshmen at East Carolina University.  We both had worked at local stations in our hometowns.  No one was more passionate about radio, especially Top 40 radio, than my friend Richard. 

Our goals with this site are to preserve the exhibits and make them available free of charge for people to enjoy.  Over time, we hope to add some airchecks to the site.  This will not happen immediately.  Time and resources will determine the future of new exhibits. 

Many thanks to the web folks at the Beasley Media Group for countless hours of work.  Again thanks to the board members of ReelRadio, Inc. for their faith in us. 

Richard Irwin’s hope was that his site would live on long after his passing. He said, “I hope REELRADIO will survive as my contribution to the ‘radio business’. The business is allowed to forget me, but the business should never forget the great era of radio that we celebrate here”.

We remember Richard and we thank him. If you enjoy this new site, we would appreciate a contribution. We hope you enjoy the new ReelRadio!

Carl Davis
Trustee
North Carolina Broadcast History Museum